Diascia Plant Named &#39;Aurora Light Pink&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Diascia  plant named ‘Aurora Light Pink’ that is characterized by compact plant habit and elongated racemose inflorescences consisting of many light pink flowers with contrasting red eyes.

GENUS AND SPECIES

Diascia×hybrida

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘Aurora Light Pink’

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of twinspur, which is grown as a spring and summer flowering annual or perennial plant for use in containers, borders and in mass landscape planting. The new cultivar in the genus Diascia will be referred to hereinafter by the cultivar name ‘Aurora Light Pink’. This application is co-pending with the related cultivars Diascia ‘Aurora Apricot’ and Diascia ‘Aurora Dark Pink’ which have been hybridized and selected in the same manner.

The inventors have been interested and have collected plants of the genus Diascia since the early 1990s. Diascia, which is native to southern Africa, provides showy annual and perennial (in mild climates) plants whose predominant flower color range in nature is in the range of soft to dark pink, also white, lavender-pink, salmon and apricot. Plants of Diascia which are raised from seed are inherently variable in growth habit, ranging from loose, weak plants with brittle stems to plants with significantly shorter internodes. Various breeding programs, including the inventors', have aimed to develop improvements in plant habit and also an extension of the color range into the deep pink, red or orange shades and ideally with very similar compact habits for each color.

Commencing in or around 1998, the inventors commenced a breeding project to develop a uniform series of Diascia which exhibit flowers held erect and above the foliage, in a range of colors, and borne on plants with compact habit. By 2003, the inventors had isolated certain seedlings which presented stiffly held longer racemes of individual flowers. Although the inventors deliberately selected and set aside parents for their presumed usefulness for immediate and future hybridization, the parents of ‘Aurora Light Pink’ are not known. The inventors estimate that approximately thirty generations of crosses preceded the selection of ‘Aurora Light Pink’ in 2009. ‘Aurora Light Pink’ was selected by the inventors as an individual seedling within a population of many hundreds of seedlings which flowered in that year. ‘Aurora Light Pink’ was selected by the inventors for its combination of qualities including length of inflorescence, arrangement of individual flowers within the inflorescence, clarity of flower color, compatibility and uniformity with other candidates for a related series.

The first asexual propagation of ‘Aurora Light Pink’ was conducted in 2009 by the inventors at their nursery in Newport, Gwent, England. The method of asexual propagation used was vegetative tip cuttings. Since that time the unique and distinguishing characteristics of ‘Aurora Light Pink’ have been determined stable, fixed, and reproduce true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent the characteristics of the new Diascia cultivar ‘Aurora Light Pink’. ‘Aurora Light Pink’ has not been tested under all possible conditions and phenotypic differences may be observed with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, without however, any difference in genotype.

-   -   1. ‘Aurora Light Pink’ exhibits compact habit.     -   2. The inflorescence of ‘Aurora Light Pink’ consists of         individual flowers which are arranged in an elongated raceme.     -   3. The quantity of flowers which are borne in a single         inflorescence during its life ranges between 25 and 35, of which         15 to 20 are fully open at any one time.     -   4. ‘Aurora Light Pink’ exhibits spires of light pink flowers.     -   5. Each flower of ‘Aurora Light Pink’ exhibits a red eye.     -   6. ‘Aurora Light Pink’ blooms profusely spring through fall.     -   7. ‘Aurora Light Pink’ exhibits glossy mid green colored         foliage.     -   8. ‘Aurora Light Pink’ is propagated using the method of         vegetative tip cuttings.     -   9. ‘Aurora Light Pink’ is fast growing. A spring planted young         plant fills and flowers in a 10.0 cm container in six to eight         weeks from spring transplanting.     -   10. The cultural requirements of ‘Aurora Light Pink’ are         well-draining soil, full sun, and regular water.     -   11. ‘Aurora Light Pink’ is suitable for use in raised beds,         borders, hanging baskets, and patio containers.     -   12. ‘Aurora Light Pink’ is hardy to USDA Zone 8.

Comparison with Known Variety

‘Aurora Light Pink’ is a distinct variety of Diascia. ‘Aurora Light Pink’ is most similar to the Diascia plant named ‘Aurora Apricot’ (U.S. Plant patent application pending). Differences between the two varieties include flower color with ‘Aurora Light Pink’ having light pink colored flowers, while the flowers of the comparison plant ‘Aurora Apricot’ are apricot.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying color drawings FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 illustrate the overall appearance of the new Diascia cultivar ‘Aurora Light Pink’ showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the drawings may differ from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describes the actual colors of the new variety of Diascia named ‘Aurora Light Pink’.

The drawing labeled as FIG. 1 depicts one whole plant of ‘Aurora Light Pink’ which is growing and flowering in mid-summer out of doors in Newport, Gwent, England. The illustrated plant was started from a rooted cutting approximately 10 months previously and maintained in a frost-free greenhouse until placing outdoors in spring.

The drawing labeled as FIG. 2 illustrates the racemose inflorescence of ‘Aurora Light Pink’ together with the individual light pink colored flowers and contrasting red eyes.

Both drawings have been made using conventional photographic techniques and although colors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectance, they are as accurate as possible by conventional photography.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of the new Diascia cultivar ‘Aurora Light Pink’. Data was collected April 2013 in Santa Barbara, Calif. from five-month-old plants planted in the garden border. The color determinations are in accordance with the 2007 edition of The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The new Diascia variety named ‘Aurora Light Pink’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. Phenotypic differences may be observed with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, without however, any difference in genotype.

-   Botanical classification:     -   -   Genus.—Diascia.         -   Species.—×hybrida.         -   Denomination.—‘Aurora Light Pink’.         -   Common name.—Twinspur.         -   Commercial classification.—Annual or perennial.         -   Plant uses.—Suitable for use in containers, borders and mass             landscape plantings.         -   Cultural requirements.—Provide well-draining soil, full sun             and regular water. Trimming when young will encourage strong             basal branching.         -   Hardiness.—Hardy to USDA Zone 8.         -   Parentage.—Unnamed and unreleased seedlings from the             inventors' breeding program. -   Plant description:     -   -   Blooming seasons.—Spring, summer and fall.         -   Plant habit.—Compact habit.         -   Plant form.—Mounding form.         -   Plant vigor.—Vigorous.         -   Plant propagation method.—Propagated using the method of             vegetative tip cuttings.         -   Production time.—Six to eight weeks are required to produce             a flowering plant in a quart or 10.0 cm diameter container.             Ten to twelve weeks are required to produce a full flowering             plant in a 1 gallon or 15.0 cm diameter container.         -   Plant height (foliage mound).—12.0 cm to 15.0 cm.         -   Plant height (including flowers).—30.0 cm to 35.0 cm.         -   Plant width.—Plant is 25.0 cm to 30.0 cm.         -   Root system.—Fine and fibrous roots.         -   Resistance and susceptibility to diseases and pests.—No             resistance or susceptibility to pests or disease is known to             the inventor.         -   Time to develop roots.—10 to 14 days are needed to develop             roots on an initial cutting.         -   Special considerations.—Encourage new branching by periodic             pruning. -   Stem: Stem produces 3 to 4 branching stems at 1.0 cm above surface.     Each branching stem produces 1 to 2 nodal sub-branches     -   -   Flowering stems per plant.—Approximately 100 during the             year.         -   Stem shape.—Quadrilateral.         -   Stem color.—RHS 138B.         -   Stem dimensions.—15.0 cm in length, 4.0 mm in diameter.         -   Internode length.—Ranges from 2.0 cm to 4.50 cm.         -   Stem surface.—Smooth, glabrous. -   Foliage:     -   -   Number of leaves per branching stem.—8 to 10.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.         -   Leaf division.—Simple.         -   Leaf shape.—Cordate.         -   Leaf base.—Cordate.         -   Leaf apex.—Acute.         -   Leaf margin.—Denticulate, teeth spaced at 5.0 mm, depth 1.0             mm.         -   Leaf venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Vein color (adaxial surfaces).—RHS 138A.         -   Vein color (abaxial surfaces).—RHS 138A.         -   Leaf surface (both surfaces).—Glabrous.         -   Leaf color (adaxial surface).—RHS 138A.         -   Leaf color (abaxial surface).—RHS 137B.         -   Leaf dimensions.—3.5 cm in length, 2.0 cm in width.         -   Leaf attachment.—Sessile. -   Inflorescence and flowers:     -   -   Inflorescence type.—Terminal raceme.         -   Quantity per plant.—5 to 8 on five months old plant.         -   Inflorescence dimensions.—15.0 cm in length; 4.5 cm in             diameter.         -   Quantity of flowers developed during inflorescence life.—25             to 35.         -   Quantity of fully open flowers at any time per             inflorescence.—15 to 20.         -   Rate of flower opening.—3 to 4 days from first color to             fully open flower.         -   Blooming months.—Flowers bloom April through November.         -   Lastingness of flower.—An individual flower lasts from 4 to             6 days on the plant.         -   Flower fragrance.—None.         -   Flower description.—Type, solitary.         -   Flower aspect.—Outward-facing.         -   Flowers persistent or self-cleaning.—Self-cleaning.         -   Flower shape.—Personate with twin calcars (spurs).         -   Flower dimensions.—1.8 cm in height, 1.5 cm in width, 1.0 cm             in depth.         -   Flower color.—RHS 63C with eye RHS 45B. -   Petals:     -   -   Petals.—5, basally fused.         -   Petal shape.—Orbicular.         -   Petal surface.—Glabrous.         -   Petal margin.—Entire.         -   Petal apex.—Obtuse.         -   Petal base.—Rounded.         -   Petal dimensions (uppermost pair).—8.0 mm in height, 6.0 mm             in width.         -   Petal dimensions (lateral pair).—15.0 mm in height, 12.0 mm             in width.         -   Petal dimensions (lowest).—18.0 mm in height, 18.0 mm in             width.         -   Petal color (both surfaces).—RHS 63C becoming RHS 45B at             base.         -   Pollinator guide spot.—Located at base (where fused) of             uppermost petals; diameter 3.0 mm, color RHS 10A.         -   Corolla window color.—RHS 155C.         -   Corolla window dimensions.—2.0 mm in length and 2.0 mm in             width.         -   Calcar.—2 in number.         -   Calcar surface.—Glabrous.         -   Calcar dimensions.—6.0 mm in depth and 2.0 mm in diameter.         -   Calcar color.—RHS 155C. -   Bud:     -   -   Bud shape.—Globose.         -   Bud surface.—Stipitate-glandular.         -   Bud color (immediately prior to cracking color).—RHS 146A.         -   Bud dimensions.—4.0 mm in length and 4.0 mm in width. -   Peduncle:     -   -   Peduncle color.—RHS 146B becoming RHS 173B above uppermost             leaf node.         -   Peduncle dimensions.—5.0 cm to 8.0 cm in length, 1.5 mm in             diameter.         -   Peduncle shape.—Quadrilateral.         -   Peduncle surface.—Stipitate-glandular.         -   Pedicel color.—RHS 173B.         -   Pedicel dimensions.—0.8 cm in length, 0.5 mm in width.         -   Pedicel shape.—Cylindrical.         -   Pedicel surface.—Stipitate-glandular. -   Calyx:     -   -   Calyx shape.—Stellate.         -   Calyx color.—RHS 146B.         -   Number of sepals.—5, unfused.         -   Sepal color (adaxial and abaxial surfaces).—RHS 146B.         -   Sepal surface.—Stipitate-glandular.         -   Sepal shape.—Oblanceolate.         -   Sepal dimensions.—4.0 mm in length and 0.75 mm in width.         -   Sepal apex.—Acute.         -   Sepal base.—Truncate.         -   Sepal margin.—Entire. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Stamens.—4.         -   Stamen color.—RHS N186C.         -   Stamen dimensions.—4.0 mm in length and 0.50 mm in width.         -   Anthers.—Tiny, ellipsoid, less than 1.0 mm in length, width;             color RHS 7C.         -   Quantity of pollen.—Slight.         -   Color of pollen.—RHS 7C.         -   Pistil (style and stigma).—Tiny protrusion, mid brown, less             than 1.0 mm in height.         -   Ovary.—Superior, globose, 1.0 mm to 2.0 mm in diameter,             color close to RHS 151C. -   Seed: Found occasionally, round, diameter 1.0 mm, color mid brown 

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Diascia plant named ‘Aurora Light Pink’ as described and illustrated herein. 